


The Black Pirate of Neverland

by HarrysHook



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/M, Neverland, curse of the black pearl references, fairytale, potc references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-03-30 20:39:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3950956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarrysHook/pseuds/HarrysHook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Curious and stubborn princess Emma Swan tempts fate and seeks her happy ending via use of a witch's enchanted door. All she finds on the other side, however, are pirates, come to spirit her away to a place called Neverland, where they wish to use her to help break their centuries-long curse. A mash up of the Scottish fairytale 'The Black Bull of Norroway' and PotC: Curse of the Black Pearl with some Captain Swan true love tossed in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Today wasn’t her turn, and Emma was fine.

She watched with a red-lipped smile as her oldest brother, Prince Henry, raced down the hill from her window. The blind witch that lived at the bottom of the valley, in the shadow of their castle had approached the king and queen, asking for an extra supply of grain. In exchange, she promised to deliver Henry’s happy ending, if he visited her home and looked through her enchanted door.

Emma grinned at her brother, his hair a mess and curling from the rain as he returned, yelling to their parents about how he’d peered through the witch’s door and seen himself marry a beautiful lady. Sure enough, not an hour later the lady was arriving in a carriage.

She was beautiful, for certain, with light brown, braided hair and a wide smile that could slay any man. Her lord father had accompanied her on the trip and the marriage agreement was fulfilled within the fortnight.

Two weeks after the wedding, the witch returned again, offering the same deal, grain for the promise of a happy ending to their second son, Neal. Again, Emma watched as her brother returned from the witch’s cabin, a princess with auburn hair and a gentle smile on his arm when he returned.

She waited desperately for the return of the witch while the marriage was being arranged, reminding herself that a person not starving was a good thing.

But oh, how she longed to just glimpse through the door. Henry had described the witch’s house as an old, run-down shack, the only ornate object in the vicinity being the door, with marble columns on either side and hinges of pure gold.

Two more weeks passed, but no witch, and Emma’s curiosity was gnawing a hole in her common sense.

When the lanterns were lit along the path to the castle and the full moon washed the world in dark silver, the princess slipped from her chambers and stole through the royal gardens, clinging to the shadows until she was out of range of the patrolling guards.

There was a thrill in her step; she couldn't climb around the rocks fast enough. Eventually she reached the beach in the shadow of the castle, the sand cold in the night air. Emma shivered, from chill or excitement she wasn't sure, and followed the coastline until she found the road again.

It was quiet outside the patrol of the guards, enough so that she could hear her heart beating in her ears and the snapping of twigs under her feet.

Her brothers had told her the witch's hut nestled in the trees along the sea's edge, and it wasn't long until she could smell smoke from a fire pit.

The hut was in even more shambles than she'd imagined. It was more of a lean-to against a cluster of rocks, a rickety roof covering the door. Emma could just see the stark marble columns and the gold hinges washed silver in the moonlight.

The witch lay just to the left of it, next to the fire. She was asleep and blind, and bold princess Emma figured she could stay quiet enough to get a look herself. Hitching up her skirts, she walked tip-toe to the door and placed a hesitant hand on the gold latch. Her heart drummed hard in her chest, making her breathing ragged and she kept an eye on the sleeping witch.

 _1...2...3_  
Emma counted to herself, pulling the heavy mahogany door open a crack, just enough to peer through, but the only sight that greeted her was the ocean, calm in the moonlight. Confused, the princess pulled the door open wider. Still the result remained. The door was not working. 

Disappointed, Emma made to shut the door, but she glimpsed a harsh wave roll by the beach. Attention caught, she watched for a moment, before a large ship rolled into her view. It was old and the dark wood weathered, but she didn’t notice.

The only thing she saw were the black sails.

Pirates.

Fear ripped through her and the princess stumbled backward, waking the witch.

“Foolish girl,” the hag hissed, “I was not your time.”

Emma desperately yanked her arm away from the witch’s greedy fingers. The ominous clang, clang of ship bells filled the air, matching the beating of her heart, just as loud in her ears. Scrambling to her feet, Emma ran as fast as she could in her gown, fear in her throat.

“Your Highness?” A guard rushed up to her, clearly confused, as she rounded a sharp turn on the road, “What are you doing out here?”

“No time to explain!” She gasped, legs weak with fatigue so she had to support herself on his outstretched arm, “I’ve seen pirates docking on the beach! We must hurry and warn-”

There was a whistle past her right ear and a flash of crimson blood before the guard crumpled to the ground. A knife stuck from his neck where his helmet didn’t quite reach the chainmail around his shoulders. Blood pooled around the blade, and she could feel droplets running down her own cheek. Letting out a scream, Emma spun on her heel, glimpsing two men surging through the trees, their clothes black and torn, their faces coated in thick hair and their eyes glowering at her. Fear had her legs moving again, up the cobbled road and into the castle, where guards greeted her panicked warning shouts with sword tips.

Emma struggled to shove the castle doors open; the extra adrenaline that jolted from her when one of the guards fell to the ground allowed her to open it just enough to squeeze through. She thundered up the nearest staircase, calling desperately for her parents and brothers.

The distant sound of cannon fire sent tears down her face; this was her fault. _This was all her fault._

“The princess!” A shout called behind her; four men clustered in one of the wings, appearance similar from the two she’d seen earlier. They began jogging after her and she bolted away from them, looking for a place to hide, a weapon , something to defend herself from the ruthless brutes. 

She found a closet, just large enough to squeeze into and still shut the door, but there were decorative gaps in the wood and if someone were to come close enough, they would see her inside.

Emma sucked in a breath and prepared her muscles to respond when she heard heavy boots enter the room. She couldn’t see far enough around the edge of the gaps to watch whoever it was, but she could see his shadow getting closer. They were alone to her relief; maybe she could overpower one on his own.

The Gods were not so merciful, of course, and she could hear the voice of another enter the room. It was strange, softer and very un-pirate-like. His accent lilted when he asked his companion,

“You find her?”

“She’s in here somewhere, Captain.” _Captain._

Her heart pounded so hard she was sure they would hear it. A henchman she could handle, but a pirate captain? She was as good as dead. Curiosity had killed her. 

There was another bang of cannon fire, much closer, and she jumped and hit her elbow to the door. Her breath caught. _No._

“There.” Emma heard the Captain mumble, and saw the first man’s shadow rush toward her.

 _Broom._ A bold voice flickered in the back of her mind, and the princess reached blindly around her until she found the wooden handle. She took a deep breath and heard the click of the latch on the door.

She shoved the broom handle in front of her like a sword, striking the first man just left of his nose. He was an inch or two shorter than her and overweight, unlike the other pirates she’d seen. He was dressed in black, though, except the ragged red hat covering his balding head.

“Easy, your Highness. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” the Captain was speaking, a chuckle on his lips. Emma’s gaze snapped up to him and her breath caught. His black hair was windswept atop his head, and his stubble thick and dark. His smile was not unkind, but wolfish, and his eyes were a ghostly blue, rimmed in thick kohl. If she hadn’t been terrified, Emma would have thought he was the handsomest man she’d seen.

She lowered the broom slowly, holding her steeled gaze against the Captain’s until the shorter man gripped her arm in rough fingers,

“What do you want from me?”

“For you to come with us, of course.” He breathed, placing a hand on his henchmen’s shoulder to loosen his grip. His grin grew so wide, the corners of his eyes wrinkled in his tanned skin.

“Why?”

“There would be no adventure if I told you.” His eyebrow quirked on his forehead; a challenge. And she’d be damned if she could resist a challenge. At her glowering silence, the captain ordered his man to take her back to the ship.

As she was escorted out of the castle, she glimpsed the frightened eyes of several servants, cowering behind a row of grinning pirates and cutlasses. Tears tumbled through her eyelids, spilling down her cheeks and chin and she tried to call an apology.

_This was all her fault._

They escorted her through the gardens instead of the road, she suspected it would be littered with the bodies of guards. They’d sailed the ship recklessly close to the rocky cliffs at the back of the castle, a haphazard gangplank slung across one of the sharp stones. It wobbled under their weight, and Emma half hoped it would snap and send them all into the crags.

The captain stepped forward and lifted her into his arms; the unexpected movement forced her to fling her arms around his neck, much to his amusement. Her face turned scarlet at his laugh, 

“I wont drop you, princess. I’ve carried rum barrels heavier than you.” He shot her a wink before carrying her on board. Instead of putting her down on deck, eerily empty while his crew was off slaughtering her people, he brought her directly to his quarters. Kicking up the hatch door, he set her surprisingly gingerly on the steps and she descended into the room.

The walls had once been white, surprise number two, but the paint was worn away and peeling, much like the wood and cloth of the furniture. Maps were sprawled carelessly across the center table and the small bed in the corner wasn’t made under it’s brightly coloured blankets.

The Captain’s hand clamped over her shoulder as he descended behind her, making her flinch. He chuckled, but the sound wasn’t unkind, his eyes looking glassy and tired. He flopped down in the single chair in the room, kicking off his leather boots with a sigh. She hadn’t noticed before, but when he stretched his left arm over the table, the hand was missing, replaced by a steel hook glinting in the moonlight.

He quirked an eyebrow at her and Emma’s breath caught, “See something that interests you, my lady?” She shook her head, determined not to let him see her fatal curiosity. It failed,

“A wizard cut it off. A blood sacrifice to curse me.” Emma knew he was lying, yet his blue eyes warmed when she met his gaze, and, for a moment, she believed him. No,

“That’s impossible, there aren’t any wizards in this land, just common witches.” His eyebrows lifted in surprise, impressed,

“Is that so? Tell me, love,” The word made her cringe as it rolled off his tongue, “have you heard of a place called...Neverland?”

She had; it was a fantastical place that her parents had read to them in books. Where kids never had to grow up and you could do whatever you imagined. Her brow knit together, confused, “Yeah, in children’s stories.”

“I can assure you that those are not just stories.” He tapped the top map on the table with his hook, “It’s real.”

“Forgive me if I no longer believe in fairytales.”

Her breath caught when suddenly the ship lurched under them, the voices of his crew shouting commands to set sail assaulting her ears. The captain smiled again and closed his eyes; she rushed to the windows at the back of the room. The rocky cliff side was pulling away, the castle above gloomy and ablaze along the path. Her heart broke in her chest.

She’d not heard the captain stand until he placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice gruff and close to her ear,

“That’s a shame, but you’re not exactly in a position to argue...” 

Emma turned to look at him and froze. The captain shuffled into the rays of moonlight shining through the window; she watched as his skin seemed to melt away, leaving a skeleton leering down at her with morbidly working eyes. Flesh hung loosely around his jaw and just under his right eye, now clouded and white. His leather clothes were tattered and worn and the room suddenly smelled of decay. She stifled a scream as his lips gave way to a permanent toothy grin,

“So you’d best start believing in fairytales, your Highness.”


	2. The Pomegranate

A scream was stuck in her throat, fear and awe shocking her senses and freezing her muscles. The captain’s bone fingers released her shoulder with eerie creaking and snapping and his back straightened how a normal person’s would while taking a deep breath. His dead blue stare turned away from her, reaching into his coat, but Emma did not want to see what he was reaching for. Turning on her heel, she kicked up her skirts and pushed her way onto deck.

The stench of decay and the sound of bones creaking against their ligaments were an assault on her senses before her eyes adjusted to the horrific sight. The deckhands snapped to attention at her sudden presence, all equally lifeless as their captain; one's skull lolled at a strange angle and the princess thought her stomach would force itself empty.

A rope creaked from above and another skeleton dropped before her, at least a foot taller than herself with a black bandana tied around his skull. Emma dodged around his slow attempt to grab her arm, scrambling toward the edge. The boards were slick, coated in spray from the occasional hard wave, and she stumbled into the railing. Hoisting herself up, she grabbed a hanging rope and prepared herself to jump.

"Catch her!" She glimpsed the captain emerging from his quarters, giant leather coat dwarfing him as his form slumped. The waves were rough against the ship's helm, but Emma was a strong swimmer, and used to turbulent waters. The castle was still visible on the horizon and she knew she could make it-

Boney hands latched themselves around her arms, dragging her back over the railing despite her screaming protests and struggling. The man that grabbed her turned her around until she faced the captain, his skeleton crew gathering behind him, their eyes curious but wary.

"Where do you think you're going, lass?" if she hadn't been so frightened, Emma would have thought the captain’s gruff voice sounded concerned. 

"I'd rather die by the sea than at your hands." she spat, gathering the courage to twist in her captor's grasp. The captain raised his hooked hand and to her shock, the large skeleton released her. She looked up at them, their eyes blinking in surprise as much as any undead could.

"We don't intend on killing you, princess. In fact, when we return from Neverland, you are welcome to return home if you so desire.” The words seemed sincere, but the next were a definite warning that trailed shivers down her back, ”But not before." He offered his proper hand, leathery skin still hanging around his palm, "Come back inside and let me explain." She didn't take his hand, but couldn't refuse the offer, lest her life depend on it, trudging back toward the cabin.

He followed slowly, whether because of his undead state or to give her room she wasn't sure, but she was watching her home slip over the horizon when he finally clicked the hatch shut. It was disorienting seeing him normal in the lamplight, tanned skin and blue eyes and dark wind-swept hair framing his handsome face a jarring difference. He looked tired now, as if he'd not slept in centuries and kohl wasn't the only darkness lining his eyes. 

He didn't speak at first, only when he finally pulled a strange, ruddy red fruit from inside his leather coat, "You must be hungry."

Voice weary now, as if he didn't want to upset her again, the captain stabbed his hook into the tough peel, pulling the flesh open until the scarlet seeds shone in the lamplight.

“A pomegranate?” The princess asked, remembering the foreign lords and ladies that brought the fruits to their feasts. A melancholic smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but he quickly suppressed it at her curious gaze,

“Aye, one of the only fruits that grows in Neverland, I’m afraid.” He held it up for her to take. When she hesitated he sighed, shifting the fruit until he could pluck a seed free and toss it in his mouth, “It’s not poison.”

Emma figured he wouldn’t have died if it was, but the gesture brought her to trust him a little more, enough to take the offered fruit and pop five or six seeds into her mouth. The juices burst against her tongue, almost sickly sweet, warming her throat with memories. With the feign of trust, the princess boldly caught his eye,

“So if you’re not going to kill me, what am I here for?”

“I don’t suppose those stories of yours talked about curses then?” The sad smile returned to his lips as he flopped back into his chair, motioning for her to sit on the small bed against the nearest wall. When she shook her head and took a seat beside him at the table, he nodded in thought, “I figured as much.

“There are plenty of ways to break a curse, but they are all individual to the type of curse and the caster themselves. However, there are two ways to break it for definite-”

“True love?” She cut in, remembering other stories she and her brothers had been told in their youth, blinking at her own sudden courage to speak up. A genuine grin split across the captain’s face, revealing his perfectly white teeth,

“Aye lass. That is the most effective way.” He nodded, holding up two fingers, “But there is another way. For the afflicted to kill the caster.”

“So you want to kill the wizard that cut off your hand then… why do you need me?” Emma felt a pang of fear when his smile faltered. He took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair, dragging his hand over his face before continuing,

“Pan...likes himself a princess.” His blue eyes caught hers, searching her gaze to if she understood. Words tangled in her throat and Emma had to force the strike of panic down, “He… recruits pirates that wash up on his shores, allows their ships to pass through the realms to bring them to Neverland.”

Emma’s heart broke as she stood, backing away away, bracing herself against a heavy bookshelf. She’d only just begun to trust him, a stupid idea in hindsight. Why would she trust a pirate? He was kidnapping her to let some evil wizard do unspeakable things to her.

He watched her silently, observing her, a battle of emotions in his blue eyes that she couldn’t quite read. The air was stifling, her skin sweating with the frightful realization that she couldn’t stop this.

“You’re brave.” He said eventually, but in the moment she didn’t feel like it, “You used magic and summoned us, you fought back when you were cornered, you tried to jump overboard when you felt like you were in danger. You’re not just brave, but you’re smart,” He stood now, approaching her very slowly, “I have a plan…”

“Yeah, a plan to dump me on Neverland and let this Pan have his way with me.” She spat, surprising them both with the anger in her voice. The captain was clearly taken aback and took a moment to recompose himself, but the princess wasn’t about to let go of her sudden burst of courage,

“That’s not what I meant-”

“It’s not like I can argue anyway, right? I have no choice? I’m stranded in the middle of the ocean with _monsters_.” The word wounded him, evident by his flinch and the clenching of his jaw when he dropped his eyes. _Good. He deserves it._

The captain wanted to say something, but Emma could see him swallow the words before looking up. His features were hardened, angry with a touch of the hurt and hopelessness she’d dealt him,

“You’ll sleep in here until we reach Neverland, my lady. You’re not allowed on deck unless you’re invited.”

“Emma.”

“What?”

“As long I’m your _prisoner_ , I’m not your _lady_. My name is Emma.”

He looked her up and down a moment, surprised by her declaration, “You can call me Hook.”

“Not ‘captain’?”

“You’re not part of my crew.” Hook snapped, whatever softness in his eyes earned by her name gone as he shouldered past her. The room grew eerily quiet after he slammed the door, the faint sloshing of water around the hull the only comfort.

Trudging over to the small, unmade cot, the princess curled into the exotic fabrics, tears in her eyes. The sway of the ship was was unsettling to her stomach, but she’d been on ships before and allowed the motion to rock her to sleep despite the sobs in her chest.

Images of rotting bodies clogged her dreams, skeletons with eyes bluer than the sea and smiles dripping with torn flesh. They flooded the castle halls, falling over each other to reach for her. Angry snarls ripped through the air, replaced with sinful laughter when once gripped her ankle. Another reached for her wrist and she was being pulled into the crowd. Emma tried to scream for help, but the sound that greeted her mirrored the garbled groans of the skeletons. Her flesh met the sea when she finally collapsed; the iron grip of their hands forced her under the water until she couldn't breathe.

The last thing her dream showed her was the distant flash of a steel hook.


End file.
